The of something wet and rough, against his cheek; Travis to turn his to avoid the and was answered by a of pain which off into a giddiness, making him another move, no how minor. He opened his and saw the pointed ears, the of a him and a sky, was able to Nalik'ideyu.
A other than that from the coyote's his now. The clouds overhead had the rain Travis had since their landing on Topaz. He as the of his him aware that he must have been out in the full of the for some time.
It was a to to his knees, but Nalik'ideyu mouthed a on his shirt, and so that somehow he into a the of a tree where the water was to a drops.
There the Apache's him again and he only over, his against his chest, trying to the in his head, the which any movement. Fighting against that, he to just what had happened.
The meeting with Deklay and at least four or five others ... then the Apache of witchcraft, a thing in the old days. Old days! To Deklay and his fellows, these were the old days! And the threat that Deklay or some other had at him—"Do ne'ilka da'"—meant literally: "It won't for you—death!"
Stones, the last thing Travis were the stones. Slowly his hands out to his body. There was more than one area on his and ribs, on his thighs. He must still have been a after he had under the which had him unconscious. Stoned ... outlawed! But why? Surely Deklay's not have Buck, Jil-Lee, Tsoay, Nolan, into to that? Now he not think straight.
Travis aware of warmth, not only of and the soft touch of a by his side, but a of mind, a he had no to adequately. Nalik'ideyu was against him, her nose up to on his shoulder. She in soft which the of his rain-damp hair. And now he one arm about her, a which a of whine.
He was past about the of the coyotes, only for Nalik'ideyu's present companionship. And a moment later when her under the low of a branch and joined them in this natural wickiup, Travis out his other hand, it across Naginlta's wet hide.
"Now what?" he asked aloud. Deklay only have taken such a action with the majority of the him. It well be that this was the new chief, this act of Travis' adding to Deklay's prestige.
The which had when Travis consciousness, still him at intervals. Back on Terra, like all the others in the team, he had had every to the space physicians, ones. But the cold still a man, and this was no time to give room to and fever.
Catching his as his movements touched to life the pain in one after another, Travis off his clothing, his with of last year's from the thick under him, there was nothing he do until the in his disappeared. So he into the until only his was uncovered, and to sleep, the up one on either of his nest.
He but later not any from those dreams, save a and fear. When he awoke, again to the of rain, it was dark. He out—both were gone. His was and he what must be done. As soon as his was enough, he, too, would return to and of the past. This was for him to challenge Deklay.
In the dark Travis frowned. He was taller, and three or four years than his enemy. But Deklay had the in a and longer reach. However, Travis was sure that in his present life Deklay had a duel—Apache fashion. And an Apache was not a meeting anyone entered into lightly. Travis had the right to enter the and deliver such a challenge. Then Deklay must meet him or admit himself in the wrong. That part of it was simple.
But in the past such had just one end, a one for at least one of the fighters. If Travis took this trail, he must be prepared to go the limit. And he didn't want to kill Deklay! There were too of them here on Topaz to make any less than a catastrophe. While he had no for Deklay, neither did he nurse any hatred. However, he must challenge the other or a outcast; and Travis had no right to with time and the future, not after what he had learned in the tower. It might be his life and skill, or Deklay's, against the out of them all—and their home world into the bargain.
First, he must the present of the clan. If Nolan's had counted, they would be south away from the pass. And to would him from the tower valley. Travis' as he bitterly. This was another time when a man wish he were two people, a on at the valley, the in the opposite direction to have it out with Deklay. But since he was one man he would have to on time, one of the of all.
Before Nalik'ideyu returned, with her a bird—or at least must have been in the creature's ancestry, but the present of its had only of wings, its and well and more powerful.
Travis the corpse, some to arrows. Then he ate of meat raw, the to Nalik'ideyu.
Though he was still and sore, Travis was to be on his way. He mind with the coyote, the Apaches, Deklay, as as he by image. And her was clear in return. She and her were to lead him to the tribe. He gave a light of relief.
As he on through the drizzle, the Apache again why the had left him and waited in the tower valley. What link was there the animals of Terra and the of the long-ago of the stars? For he was it was not by that Nalik'ideyu and Naginlta had in that place. He to with them directly, to ask questions and be answered.
Without their aid, Travis would have been able to the clan. The with of rain, to drive the to the nearest cover. Overhead the sky was either or night black. Even the nose to ground, often making wide for the while Travis waited.
The rain for three days and nights, with streams. Travis only that the others were having the same traveling that he was, the more so since they were with packs. The that they on meant that they were to as from the northern as they could.
On the fourth the of the clouds slowly into the gold, and the sun across where like steam from a hundred pots. Travis in the welcome warmth, his shirt on his shoulders. It was still a ahead which should continue to slow the clan. He had high of up with them soon, and now the of his had faded. His were limber, and he had out his plan as best he could.
Two hours later he sat in ambush, waiting for the who was walking into his hands. Under the direction of the coyotes, Travis had the line of march, come in ahead of the clan. Now he needed an to his challenge, and the that the he was about to jump was Manulito, one of Deklay's supporters, Travis' purpose perfectly. He his under him as the other came opposite, and sprang.
The Manulito off his and on the while Travis the best of his and the man under him. Had it been one of the older he might not have been so successful, but Manulito was still a boy by Apache standards.
"Lie still!" Travis ordered. "Listen well—so you can say to Deklay the of the Fox!"
The ceased. Manulito managed to his to the left so he see his captor. Travis his grip, got to his feet. Manulito sat up, his sullen, but he did not for his knife.
"You will say this to Deklay: The Fox says he is a man of little and less courage, to than meet knife to knife as a warrior. If he thinks as a warrior, let him prove it—his against my strength—after the of the People!"
Some of the left Manulito's expression. He was eager, excited.
"You would with Deklay after the old custom?"
"I would. Say this to Deklay, openly so that all men may hear. Then Deklay must also give answer openly."
Manulito at that his leader's courage, and Travis that he would deliver the challenge openly. To keep his on the the must accept it, and there would be an audience of his people to the success or of their new and his policies.
As Manulito Travis the coyotes, full into across one message. Any by Deklay would be to the animals. They must go into hiding, free in the if the failed Travis. Now they into the but not out of of his mind.
He did not have too long to wait. First came Jil-Lee, Buck, Nolan, Tsoay, Lupe—those who had been with him on the northern scout. Then the others, the first, the making a circle behind, a free space in which Deklay walked.
"I am the Fox," Travis stated. "And this one has named me and natdahe, of the mountains. Therefore do I come to name names in my turn. Hear me, People: This Deklay—he would walk among you as 'izesnantan, a great chief—but he not have the go'ndi, the power of a chief. For this Deklay is a fool, with a by nothing but his own wishes, not for his brothers. He says he leads you into safety; I say he leads you into the any man can imagine—even in dreams! He is one in his thoughts, and he would make you also——"
Buck cut in sharply, the of the clan.
"These are words, Fox. Will you them?"
Travis' hands were already off his shirt. "I will them," he set teeth. He had since his after the that this next move was the only one left for him to make. But now that the of his action came, he not be of the outcome, of anything save that the final of this might affect more than the of two men. He stripped, that Deklay was doing the same.
Having into the center of the glade, Nolan was using the point of his knife to score a deep-ridged circle there. Naked for his moccasins, with only his knife in his hand, Travis took the two which put him in the circle Deklay. He his opponent's body, that his of Deklay's were close to the mark. In the other him. Whether Deklay was with his knife was another question, one which Travis would soon be able to answer.
They circled, upon each move, to and measure each other's and weaknesses. Knife among the Pinda-lick-o-yi, Travis remembered, had once been an art close to swordplay, with two matched able to for a long time without marking each other. But this was a and more game, with none of the of such a meeting.
He a from Deklay.
"The charges," he laughed. "And the Fox snaps!" By some of good fortune, the point of his actually Deklay's arm, a thin, red inch-long line across the skin.
"Charge again, bull. Feel once more the Fox's teeth!"
He to Deklay into a of temper, how the other into rage. It was dangerous, that rage, but it also make a man careless.
There was an from Deklay, a in the man's face. He spat, as might an puma, and at Travis who did not manage to avoid the lunge, with a across the ribs.
"The gores!" Deklay bellowed. "Horns the Fox!"
He again, by the of the on Travis' side. But the man away.
Travis he must be in such evasions. One across the circle and he was as much as if Deklay's had its mark. Travis a of his own, and his came hard on a pebble. Through the of his pain upward, him to stumble. Again the of a wound, his and this time.
Well, there was one trick, he knew. Travis the knife into the air, it with his left hand. Deklay was now a left-handed and must to that.
"Paw, bull, your horns!" Travis cried. "The Fox still his teeth!"
Deklay from his of surprise. With a which was like the of an old range bull, he into grapple, sure of his against a and already man.
Travis ducked, one the ground. He out with his right hand, up a of earth, and it into the face. Again it that luck was on his side. That not be as as sand, but some of the in Deklay's eye.
For a space of Deklay was wide open—open for a which would him up the middle, the Travis not and would not deliver.
Instead, he took the recklessly, for his opponent. As the earth-grimed of one hand into Deklay's face, he with the other, not with the point of the knife but with its shaft. But Deklay, already only from the blow, had his own chance. He to the ground, his knife behind, two of Travis' ribs.
Somehow—he didn't know from where he that strength—Travis his and took one step and then another, out of the circle until the of a tree was against his back. Was he finished—?
He to nurse his of consciousness. Had he Buck with his eyes? Or had the of what he had to say somehow from mind to mind? The other was at his side, but Travis put out a hand to him off.
"Towers—" He to keep his through the pain and to through him. "Reds mustn't to the towers! Worse than the bomb ... end us all!"
He had a of Nolan and Jil-Lee in about him. The to at him, but they had to know, to believe....
"Reds to the towers—everything finished. Not only here ... maybe home too...."
Did he read on Buck's face? Would Nolan and Jil-Lee and the him? Travis not the any longer, and the pain which was the he had experienced. But still he his feet, to make them understand.
"Don't let them to the towers. Find that storehouse!"
Travis away from the tree, out to Buck his earth and hand. "I ... truth ... this must be done!"
He was going down, and he had a that once he the ground would end, not only for him but also for his mission. Trying to see the of the men about him was like attempting to identify the people in a dream.
"Towers!" He had meant to it, but he not for himself that last word as he fell.
